It read: “We understand that this would be based around a valuation in the region of £700m; and that we are interested in funding the development of a new stadium in the docks area, and the redevelopment of both Anfield and Melwood, all in conjunction with Liverpool City Council; and the development of a series of football training academies across China.”

FSG, however, claim to have received no such correspondence. The website placed in the letter, sinofortone.com, is currently inaccessible, and the note is signed by Peter Zheng — SinoFortone's UK director is named Peter Zhang.

The American sports investment company, which also owns baseball giants Boston Red Sox, has previously made public their commitment to Liverpool for the "long-term".

After clearing £69m from the club's accounts in March, Liverpool chief executive Ian Ayre said: "It just tells you the type of commitment they have and it is very much a long term commitment."

Even if FSG were interested in selling the Merseyside club, recent independent valuations of Liverpool estimate its worth to be higher than £700m.